HOW TO SKIN TOMATOES!

This is a foolproof way of skinning tomatoes.

WATCH THE VIDEO: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/techniques/de-skinning_tomatoes

Skinning tomatoes

-Place the whole, fresh tomatoes into a bowl. Cover with boiling water. Set aside for 30-60 seconds, or until the skins have split.
-Remove the tomatoes from the water using a fork. When they're cool enough to handle, peel off the skins.

Recipes using this technique

MAIN COURSE

Aromatic salmon cooked in coconut milk

Ingredients

• 4 thick salmon steaks
• 2.5cm/1in piece root ginger, peeled and cut into small, very thin slices
• 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and cut into small, very thin slices
• 350g/12oz tomatoes, peeled and halved
• 1 fresh red chilli, de-seeded and sliced as finely as possible
• 1 small yellow pepper, de-seeded and thinly sliced
• 4-6 cardamom pods, roughly crushed
• 400ml/14fl oz tinned coconut milk
• sea salt
• 2 limes, juice only
• handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped

Preparation method

1. Put the fish steaks in a fairly shallow ovenproof dish with a lid, into which they fit quite closely.
2. Scatter the ginger, garlic, tomato, chilli and yellow pepper over and around the fish and the cardamom pods in between.
3. Empty the coconut milk into a separate bowl, add a good sprinkling of sea salt and gradually stir in the lime juice. Pour the mixture gently over and around the fish and cover the dish.
4. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Put the dish on the centre shelf and cook for 40-50 minutes, until the fish is lightly done. To discover this insert a small, sharp knife into the centre of one of the steaks - if the flesh is slightly darker pink in the centre it will be perfectly cooked. Remove from the oven.
5. Before serving scatter the mint leaves on top.

STARTERS & NIBBLES

Bacon, lettuce and tomato with Croque Monsieur

Ingredients

For the tomato jelly

• 2kg/4lb 6½oz plum tomatoes, peeled
• dash olive oil
• 2 leeks, thoroughly washed, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 bunch fresh basil, stalks only
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 bay leaves
• 250ml/8¾fl oz tomato juice
• 1-2 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 5½ leaves gelatine per litre of tomato stock produced

For the bacon onion cream

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1kg/2lb 3¼oz white onions, finely sliced
• 100g/3½oz bacon
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream
• pinch salt

For the lettuce soup

• 2 heads English lettuce
• salt

For the garnish

• 2 onions, sliced into rings
• 100ml/3½fl oz milk
• 50g/1¾oz plain flour
• 300ml/½ pint vegetable oil, for deep frying, plus 1 tsp extra
• 150g/5¼oz bacon lardons

For the cheese mixture

• 825g/1lbs 13¼oz cheddar, grated
• 215ml/7½fl oz milk
• 60g/2¼oz plain flour
• 60g/2¼oz fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 free-range eggs
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 1 tsp prepared English mustard
• good splash Worcestershire sauce

For the sandwich

• 1 loaf brioche
• 8 large slices prosciutto
• 1 black truffle, thinly sliced

Preparation method

1. For the tomato jelly, de-seed the tomatoes (reserve the tomato flesh) and place the seeds into a sieve over a bowl. Reserve the sieved juice anddiscard the seeds.
2. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, Add the vegetables and fry over a low heat for 5-6 minutes, to soften but not colour.
3. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the basil stalks, garlic and bay leaves.
5. Add the flesh from the reserved plum tomatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes.
6. Add the tomato juice and the juice extracted from the tomato seeds. Season, to taste, with caster sugar and salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for one hour. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
7. Once cool. pour the tomato mixture into in a muslin cloth over a large bowl to collect the juices.
8. Transfer the collected juice to a clean pan over a medium heat and boil to reduce the liquid volume by one third. Allow to cool then transfer to a measuring jug to establish the volume of tomato stock.
9. Soak the gelatine leaves (number according to amount of tomato stock) in ice-cold water until softened, then squeeze out any excess water. Add the softened gelatine to the tomato stock and dissolve. Strain again into Martini glasses and place into the fridge to set.
10. For the bacon and onion cream, heat the olive oil in a pan over a low heat. Add the onions and bacon and fry to soften and infuse the onions with the bacon flavour. Fry for one hour over a very low heat without colouring, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
11. Remove the bacon from the onions. Discard the bacon or use in another recipe. Transfer the onions to a food processor. Add 100ml/3½fl oz of the double cream and blend until smooth.
12. Whip the remaining 100ml/3½fl oz of the double cream in a bowl until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Add the onion and cream mixture and fold in gently.
    
    Technique: Whipping cream by hand
    Watch technique0:48 mins
13. For the lettuce soup, place the lettuce leaves into boiling water for one minute, then remove and refresh in iced water and drain. Place the lettuce leaves into a food processor, blend and pass through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Season, to taste, with salt. Pour into shot glasses and chill in the fridge.
14. For the garnish, heat the oil in a deep, heavy-based pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped in it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
15. Dip the onion rings into the milk, then into the flour to coat. Transfer to the hot oil to deep-fry in batches until just turning golden-brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
16. Heat the extra teaspoon of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the bacon lardons. Fry until golden-brown, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm.
17. For the cheese mixture, place the cheddar and milk into a large heavy-based pan and heat, stirring regularly, until the cheddar has melted and combined with the milk.
18. Add the flour and breadcrumbs and cook for a further five minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
19. Transfer to a food processor and blend. Add the eggs, one at a time, and blend to combine. Repeat with the egg yolks. Add the mustard and Worcestershire sauce, blend again, then place into the fridge to cool.
20. For the sandwich, preheat the oven to 180C/360F/Gas 4.
21. Cut eight very thin slices from the brioche. Spread the cheese mixture onto one side of each slice.
22. Place two slices of prosciutto onto four of the slices of cheese mixture-covered brioche and sprinkle a few slices of fresh truffle over the top. Place a second slice of brioche on top of each to create four sandwiches.
23. Place each sandwich into a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until golden-brown on each side. Transfer the sandwiches to a baking tray and place into the oven to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through and the cheese has melted.
24. Remove from the oven, cut off the crusts and cut into 'soldiers'.
25. To serve, place a glass of tomato jelly onto each plate. Add a layer of onion cream to each jelly. Garnish with the deep-fried onion rings and the cooked bacon lardons. Place a shot glass of lettuce soup alongside and arrange the sandwich 'soldiers' around.